Out of Focus | Siestas & Fiestas
A bit of winter sun isn't just a want, it's a necessity and as Brits we often overlook some of the short-haul offerings. They provide the essential vitamin D & Vitamin T(wellness focussed trips), without the jet lag and the expensive price tags! Every year we incorporate a spring team trip - an ode to the end of the long winter. We crank it up a few degrees and make our annual pilgrimage to the orange blossoms and sunshine. With a 'warmer’ climate and a shortage of rainfall, it's no surprise that Andalusia has captured our hearts on more than one occasion.
The team trip is short but sweet and we aim to squeeze in plenty of culture, cafe con leches and this year, a bit of adrenaline too. We feel that we've finessed 48 hours in a city, whilst tailoring the jam wardrobe to travel with minimal hand luggage. For packing tips click here!
Here’s our breakdown and some recommendations for a quick visit to the booming Spanish region that’s climbing to the top of the travel trends in 2025. With over 25 million passengers a year Malaga airport is well versed in car hire, making it super easy to touch down and hit the road quickly. We stayed centrally in Malaga at the Icon Malabar (NB: Parking in central Malaga can be tricky so if you're not planning to leave the city just get a taxi from the airport!). Once you get to this hotel pretty much everything is walkable and if like some of our team, a morning matcha is a must, then checkout Concept 30 for a chic and calming coffee spot right next to the market!
Our first evening we went straight to the infamous El Pimpi restaurant for tapas and a few, okay a lot of Margaritas. However we couldn't help feel it's a bit of a tourist trap! We opted for an early night in lieu of an early start, but if cocktails and cobblestones are your thing, theres no shortage of options in the city!
In search of some adventure travel we headed into the mountains for a breathtaking hike at the Caminito Del Rey. With a general reluctance to overly structured tourism we were pleasantly surprised at our 2 hour guided hike through the incredible valleys. For the best experience get up and go early to enjoy the quiet of the valley as the first people in. Booking well in advance is essential as its popular! The views (and heights) were truly breathtaking and we couldn’t quite believe that we were only a 2.5 hour flight from the UK. The Caminito is Spain's very own Grand Canyon! It was manageable for everyone and we worked up an appetite for a colossal paella at El Mirador restaurant, which offers spectacular views over the turquoise lakes; if you've got the time make sure to squeeze in a swim!
We made it back in time for half of the team to have siestas and the other half to hit up the shops and mercado central before heading out for the evening. The city has an abundance of tapas bars to choose from (rumour has it over 1000), but we couldn't resist returning to El Tapeo De Cervantes for a truly authentic Spanish culinary adventure. This place is honestly unreal, admittedly at the pricier end for Malaga but if you like your food, let the waiters do it all for you and just sit back and enjoy!
Malaga is appropriately named the gateway to the Costa Del Sol. In just two hours drive or less you can find yourself at incredible cultural hotspots like Seville, Ronda and Cordoba. There is also an abundance of activities and more and more boutique hotels like Hacienda De San Rafael and the newly refurbed Marbella Club for some quiet luxury. It's not surprising that we were all immediately looking up return flights to revisit with our respective partners later in the year. It just ticks all the boxes; inspiring culture, incredible cuisine and alfresco…everything.
Travel - Hiring a car could't be easier - opt for an in airport pick up
Stay - Malaga city centre has plenty of choices but the Icon Malabar is perfectly located
Play - El Tapeo De Cerventes
Pack - Everything in our spring summer 25 collection!
